Dr. James D. Auran's clinical interests include comprehensive ophthalmology, eye trauma, cataract surgery, intraocular lens complications, dry eye, and blepharitis. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 papers in the field of ophthalmology.

Dr. Auran graduated with honors from Harvard College with a B.A. in Biology and received his M.D. degree from Cornell University Medical College. He performed his ophthalmology residency training at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH), followed by fellowship training in Cornea and Anterior Segment Surgery with Richard Gibralter, M.D. at MEETH and Anthony Donn, M.D. at Columbia University.

Dr. Auran is listed in Castle Connolly's Top Doctors in the New York Metro Area, New York Magazine Top Doctors, New York Super Doctors, and U.S. News and World Report Best Doctors.

Dr. Auran served as Chief of the Department of Ophthalmology at the NYC Health and Hospitals/Harlem from January, 2016 to June, 2022 and now serves as the Associate Program Director for the Columbia University Ophthalmology Residency at that site.

He cofounded, served as President, and is now the Executive Vice-President of the American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma (ASOT), an organization dealing with the prevention and treatment of eye injuries. He is currently leading the effort to create a national eye care disaster plan.

He received the Alfred Markowitz Service Award from the Society of Practitioners of the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in 2004, the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award in 2004, and the Columbia University Department of Ophthalmology Resident Teaching Award (in recognition of teaching advanced cataract surgical techniques) in 2008 and the Philip Knapp Memorial Teaching Award in 2018. In 2023, he received the ASOT Ferenc Kuhn Award, given annually to the most outstanding individual in the field of ocular traumatology.

His many other interests include gardening, photography, reproductive health, and history.